Paying the Pike. 87 



hundred yards, but only got hold of one or two small fish. I then went up 

 and tried the fish I had marked down. He came and pulled at me, but 

 very cautiously, so I missed him. As we had breakfasted early, it was 

 pretty well luncheon time, so I shouldered my rod and walked up to the 

 bucks, where Alfred was engaged in lighting a fire. My sundry basket 

 produced a fire pot, kettle, saucepan, &c. The luncheon basket turned out 

 a big basin full of jelly, which being turned into the saucepan soon 

 resolved itself into about three pints of fine mock-t\irtle soup. A shout 

 brought J. upon the scene, who flavoured the soup with a bottle of old East 

 India sherry, and a bottle of very choice Irroy. How we did enjoy that 

 soup. The day was not by any means warm, and we sat in a triangle round 

 the fire, and swallowed a couple of platefuls each. A cold duck was then 

 reduced to bones, and then, in fear the sherry and fizz should not mix 

 properly, I produced a bottle labelled "cognac" and "1834," and the 

 kettle being now in full sing, we had just one glass of steaming hot grog. 



" What's that you say ? It was a shame to mix it " — well, perhaps — but 

 after all que voulez vous ? The best brandy makes the best grog, and if 

 any one manes to deny that proposhition let him just put the print of his 

 big ugly fut on the tail of me coat ; whooroo ! A comforting pipe, and then 

 we fell to it again. 



I won't describe the captiire of each fish seriatim. I got four more, 

 61b., 71b., 101b., and 111b. J. got two of 81b. and 91b., and lost the sock- 

 dolager, and we threw in some seven or eight small ones. About one 

 hundred yards above the bucks the cut narrowed and grew deep — twenty 

 yards above was an old pile or two, part of some broken down framework. 

 J. was about to pitch his bait out into the middle of this cut, which he had 

 not yet fished, when Alfred brought him in the landing net a small Jack 

 about ten or eleven inches long which he had just spooned out of a ditch 

 close by. 



" Put him on, sir, put him on," said Alfred. " If there's ever a whopper 

 handy he's bound to fetch him." 



" But he's too large for my hooks, Alfred. What shall I do ? " 



" Never mind, sir. If a fish takes it give him plenty o' time and let 

 him gorge. I'll forgive ye if ye kills a little 'un ; but ye wun't." 



